Mountain Link guide/climber Jeff Justman of Bend, Ore., made the summit of Mount Everest on May 16 and took with him to the top a photo of his favorite movie star Hayek. The expedition lasted 60 days. Along the way Justman and his team sent dispatches home chronicling the expedition, which can be read at mountain-link.com. Several of Justman’s correspondences included references to Hayek.

On May 7, dispatch 14, Justman lists the top 10 things mountaineers (himself in this case) do with their down time. Number one on his list is “Deeply visualize pillow as Salma Hayek to stay warm on cold base camp nights!” On May 12, dispatch 16, Justman writes in to the Bend Mountain Link office asking, “Has Salma called yet?”

A sick, twisted fantasy? Hardly.

According to Justman, he takes a photo of Hayek on each of his long expeditions for good luck. In addition to the Everest climb, he has also done so on Mount Dhaulagiri (the seventh highest mountain in the world at 26,795 feet) and Mount Manaslu (the eighth highest mountain in the world at 26,781 feet).

“A Salma Hayek photo is one of the items I take with me on long expeditions because it helps me feel at home,” said Justman. “It’s something of a good luck charm. And she’s been with me all around the world.”

Said Justman upon his arrival in the United States late Tuesday evening at the Roberts Field Redmond Municipal Airport in Redmond, Ore., “Has Salma called yet?”

Mountain Link has contacted Hayek’s publicist on Justman’s behalf.

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« Last Edit: Jun 3 2004, 19:05 by 7summits »

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"He who climbs upon the highest mountains laughs at all tragedies, real or imaginary." -- Friedrich Nietzsche